Shoemaking



Dec. 15, 1936. w H MCKERSQN 2,064,681

SHOEMAKING Filed Aug. 28, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 15, 1936. WfH.NICKERSON,

SHOEMAKING Filed Aug. 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 a Am M,

Patented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES ENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to the shoe making art and is concernedprincipally with means for stiffening the shank part of the shoe andsecuring the upper to the innersole. It comprises a novel combinationbetween a metal shank stiffener and a fiber heel slip, and the furthercombinations of these combined elements with the innersole and upper ofa shoe. concerned with shoes of the type in which a piece of hard fiberboard or equivalent stiff non-metallic material of outline anddimensions conforming approximately to the heel end and shank part oftheinnersole is applied to those parts of the innersole over the shankand beneath edges of the lasted upper. Such pieces are designated heelslips in the shoe making art, and will be so called in thisspecification. Inasmuch as they are usually made of hard and dense fiberboard, it may be assumed that the heel slip described in the followingspecification is of that material; although this assumption is not to beconstrued asexcluding from the scope of the invention as herein claimedthe use of other materials having qualities of stiffness, flexibilityand penetrability by. metallic fasteners suitable for the purposes inview.

The particulars of the invention are illustrated by drawings, in which.Figure 1 is a perspective view of a heel slip and shank stiffener, inwhich one phase of the invention is embodied, dismembered from oneanother.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the heel slip and shank stiffenercombined in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

: Figure 3 is a similar view of an equivalent combination containing avariantiorm of shank stiffener.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the heel slip and shank stifienercombination of Figure 2 in further combination with the innersole priorto application to a last.

Figures 5 and 6 are fragmentary perspective views showing a variant formof heel slip in combination with the shank stifieners of Figures 2 and.3, respectively.

Figures 7, 8, and 9 are, respectively, a longitudinal section, a bottomplan view and a fragmentary cross section on line 9--9 of Figure '7, ofa lasted shoe containing the combination of Figure 4 and furthercombined with a shoe upper.

Figures 1-0, 11, and 12 are views similar to Figs. 7, 8 and 9,respectively, showing for comparison a shoe in which the shank stiffeneris on the outer side of the heel slip.

In particular the invention is Like reference characters designate thesame parts wherever they may occur in all the figures.

In the combination shown dismembered in Figure 1 and assembled in Figure2, a tempered steel shank stiffener it having integral prongs U adjacentto its ends is combined with a heel slip c and made fast thereto bystaples d. The shank stiffener is curved or bowed longitudinallyconforming to the shank curvature of shoes of the style and sizes forwhich it is provided, and it is also arched transversely to enhance itsstiffness. The heel slip may be assumed to be a piece of fiber board ofsimilar, and approximately equal,

dimensions and outline to the heel end and adjacent shank portion of theinnersole designed for such shoes; but its length is somewhat less thanthe distance from the heel end of the innersole to the designed locationof the point where the forward prongs of the shank stiffener are to bedriven into the innersole.

Such heel slip and shank stiffener are assembled apart from the shoe andwith the forward end of the stiffener protruding beyond the forward endof the heel slip in such position that the forward prongs are clear ofthe heel slip and Will be located at the proper point on the innersolewhen the combination is applied to the innersole with the rear end ofthe heel slip slightly forward of the heel end of the innersole. Theback of the stifiener, that is, the side opposite that from which theprongs extend, is placed against the surface of the heel slip. Two ormore staples crossing and closely embracing the stiffener are driveninto the heel slip and clinched on its opposite face. They are properlyspaced and positioned, and driven tightly enough to hold the stifienerin the prescribed position relative to the heel slip and substantiallyimmovable in that position, so that neither is liable to be displacedwith respect to the other before being applied to the innersole. Theheel slip is also given a longitudinally arched formation conforming tothe shank stiffener, which increases the security with which these partsare prevented from slipping longitudinally with respect to one another.

As so constituted the combination embodies a stiffened heel slip withprongs projecting from the stiffener side thereof adapted to be driveninto an innersole, and with the location of the forward prongs plainlyexposed to- View when the combination is applied to an innersole in themanner represented in Figure 4. Both the outward projection of the shankstiffener prongs and the exposure of its forward prongs are importantfeatures of the invention because they enable the combined article to beapplied to an innersole apart from the last and show the operatordirectly and accurately where he must strike in order to embed andclinch the forward prongs in the innersole. This union with theinnersole may be effected on a metallic form or base, preferably onewhich has contours similar to those of the shoe making last so that theinnersole is shaped to the curvature of the shank stiffener while beingconnected.

Such connection is effected by two blows of a hammer in the hands of theworkman While the innersole is supported on such a form or equivalentsupport. The prongs are thereby embedded and clinched before theinnersole is applied to the bottom of the shoe making last. Thiscapacity of the stiffener and heel slip combination avoids the necessityof using a shoe making last with a metallic bottom or metallic inset atthe forward end of the shank part, and is, to the best of my knowledgeand belief, entirely novel with this invention.

Figure 3 shows an equivalent combination in which the means forconnection with the innersole are tack shanks 6 passed through holes inthe stiffener instead of being integral prongs. However, these tacks arefunctionally equivalent to the prongs b and are intended to be comprisedwithin the meaning of the term prongs as used in the claims.

The combinations shown in Figures 5 and 6 differ from those of Figures-2and 3, respectively, in that the heel slip in each case is longer andits forward termination is approximately flush with the forward end ofthe stiffener. But the central part of its forward end is out out toprovide a notch f substantially as deep as the distance from the forwardend of the stiffener to the adjacent prong or prongs, whereby thedesired exposure of these prongs to the view of the operator isobtained.

The heel slip is transversely curved or bowed as to the part whichoverlies the stiffener to the extent which brings the edges of this partagainst the adjacent face of the innersole while the latter remainssubstantially fiat transversely. This transverse bending may be doneeither when the stiffener and heel slip are first assembled or when theyare assembled with the innersole.

Frequently the heel slip is secured to the innersole by cement (by whichterm I include any suitable adhesive) in addition to the connection madeby the stiffener prongs. In some makes of shoes the upper is cemented tothe outer face of the heel slip. The fiber board of which these heelslips are usually made is not readily penetrable by the adhesives usedfor these purposes but rather tends to repel them. A further feature ofthe invention consists in means for making a stronger bond between thecement, when used in these situations, and the heel slip. Such meanscomprises grooves or other indentations and/or ridges or projections ineither face or both faces of the heel slip. For example, the face whichcomes next to the innersole may be scored with cuts similar to those bywhich metal files are made, or shallow grooves, as shown at g inFigure 1. Preferably such score lines extend longitudinally ordiagonally of the heel slip rather than squarely across its width, inorder not to diminish the stiffness of the heel slip in the longitudinaldirection. Where the score lines are arranged diagonally, they may beprovided in two series crossing one another.

The opposite side is provided with separated projections h somewhat likethe teeth of a wood rasp. Either mode of roughening the surface providesspaces in which cement may lodge and take hold with a stronger bond thanoccurs with the unmodified smooth surfaces of this material. It is to beunderstood that either of the foregoing means for roughening the surfacemay be applied to either or both surfaces of the heel slip, and thatspecifically different equivalent means may also be used for the samepurpose.

When an innersole in which the stiffener and heel combination has beenapplied is placed on the bottom of the last, the shoe upper may bepulled over the heel slip and secured to the outer surface thereof bymechanical fastenings or adhesive, without regard to the presence of theshank stiffener. That is, the heel slip, overlying the stiffener affordsa continuous surface over which the upper may be pulled at the shank ofthe shoe and its edges secured without regard to the presence of thestiffener. It is not necessary to trim such edges in order toaccommodate the heel stiffener, as is necessary when the stiffener isplaced outside the heel slip, as is the case in shoes of the type shownby Figures 10, 11, and 12.

In the completed shoe the shank stiffener furnished pursuant to thisinvention is securely anchored in place by its direct connections withthe innersole and with the heel slip, and the heel slip is anchored byits stapled connection with the shank stiffener and its cemented ortacked connection with the innersole and the upper.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In the art of shoe making the step which consists in applying to theouter side of an innersole a composite heel slip and shank stiffenersecured together and having prongs protruding from the stiffener awayfrom the heel slip, and embedding and clinching such prongs in thesubstance of such innersole.

2. In the art of shoe making the step which consists in applying to theouter side of an innersole a composite heel slip and shank stiffenersecured together, with prongs protruding from the stiffener away fromthe heel slip, embedding and clinching such prongs in the substance ofsuch innersole apart from the last on which the shoe is made, andsubsequently applying to the bottom of such last the innersole with theshank stiffener and heel slip attached.

3. A heel slip and shank stiffener combination including staplessecuring the shank stiffener to the heel slip substantially on thelongitudinal median line of the heel slip, the stiffener having prongsadjacent to its opposite ends projecting away from the heel slip, theprong or prongs at the forward end of the stiffener being uncovered bythe material of the heel slip.

4. An innersole, shank stiffener and heel slip combination in which theshank stiffener is between the innersole and heel slip and has prongsadjacent to its opposite ends embedded and clinched in the substance ofthe innersole, and including staples passing through the heel slip andembracing the shank stiffener.

5. An innersole, shank stiffener and heel slip combination in which theshank stiffener is between the innersole and heel slip and has prongsadjacent to its oppiosite ends embedded and clinched in the substance ofthe inner sole, and including staples passing through the heel slip andembracing the shank stiffener, the heel slip being scored or roughenedon one or both faces to provide anchorage means for adhesive.

6. An innersole, shank stiffener and heel slip combination in which theshank stifiener is between the innersole and heel slip and has prongsadjacent to its opposite ends embedded and clinched in the substance ofthe innersole, and including staples passing through the heel slip andembracing the shank stiffener, the heel slip being scored on its surfacenext to the innersole and being anchored to the innersole by adhesive inbonded connection with such scored surface.

WILLIAM H. NICKERSON.

